Now, MCA Youth man denies party threatened to ditch BN over hudud

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 ― MCA did not threaten to quit Barisan Nasional (BN) should ally Umno support the bid by rival party PAS to implement hudud in Kelantan, a MCA Youth leader said today when insisting it was simply expressing its “firm” opposition against the Islamic penal code.

MCA Penang Youth chief Michael Lee claimed the recent statement made by deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong that MCA would review its position within BN should Umno support the hudud, should not be construed as a threat to leave the ruling coalition.

“As a representative of the Chinese community, MCA must take a firm stance on major issues Dr Wee’s remarks were not a threat but a firm stance,” Lee said in a statement.

The statement was issued in response to Lee’s Umno counterpart in Penang, Rafizal Abdul Rahim, who challenged MCA to leave the coalition if it disagreed with Umno’s position on hudud.

Wee had reportedly said MCA and other non-Muslims parties with BN might “review their position in the BN coalition” if Umno votes in favour of the two private members’ bills PAS MPs are expected to table in Parliament to allow the enforcement of hudud in Kelantan.

Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak had previously said the federal government has not rejected hudud.

Other Umno leaders have also expressed open support for PAS’s bid.

Lee today pointed out that MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon had explained that both the movement and its Umno counterpart have agreed that although non-Muslims should respect the fact that hudud served as a guideline for Muslims, the two agreed that hudud was not suitable for plural country like Malaysia.

“There are too many constraints in implementing hudud in Malaysia, namely the multiracial, multi-religious society, coupled with provisions in the Federal Constitution that do not allow for it,” he said.

MCA has come under fire for questioning hudud, with the BN component party told to shut up instead of “howling” like the DAP and betraying Umno over the controversial Islamic penal law.

In an anonymous opinion piece published by the BN Backbenchers’ Club portal, Wee was described as “rude” for suggesting yesterday that the party will consider its membership in the ruling coalition should Umno continue to support hudud.

MCA’s archrival the DAP had also joined in the fray and demanded MCA state clearly if the party would quit if Umno backs PAS’s plan to implement hudud.

In 1993, the PAS state government passed the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment II, allowing it to impose the strict Islamic penal code in the state. But the laws have not been implemented.

PAS is now looking for parliamentary approval to implement hudud. It plans to put forward two private members’ bills in parliament. One seeks approval for punishments including whipping, stoning and amputation while the other seeks to empower Shariah courts to mete out the sentences.

The Islamist opposition party has 21 MPs, while Umno ― BN’s Malay component party ― has 88 federal seats, the largest party in the 222-member Parliament. MCA has just seven MPs.